In anticipation of the OAA’s 2023 Conference, Designing for Dignity, we reached out to local folks from across the Sudbury region to share what they think makes it a great place to live, work, and play. In our ‘Faces of Sudbury’ series, we share their responses, in their own words.
These personal reflections shed light on the richness of the region, and celebrate the many facets that will be showcased at the bespoke Conference event in June. For the first time, the OAA is holding its annual conference at the gateway to Northern Ontario—a place of resource extraction and regeneration, of remoteness and richness, of communities and design challenges. The setting prompts us to have new conversations as well as to learn from and collaborate with local communities about the role the profession must play in supporting dignity for all.
1. Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Jamie West. I am the Member of Provincial Parliament for the Riding of Sudbury (Copper Cliff and the core city of Sudbury)
2. What excites you about living in the Sudbury area?
Whenever I get back from Queen’s Park in Toronto, I fall in love with the fact that the average commute in Sudbury is 15 minutes (and rush hour simply means that both lanes are full). However, what I love most about Sudbury is the people. I often describe Sudbury as “A city trapped in a small town”; although we have the population of a city, we care about one another like citizens of a small town. That’s probably what excites me the most. Once determined, Sudbury makes things happen and won’t take no for an answer: Cancer Centre? Film Festival? PET scanner? French University? Science Centre? Regreening project? Those are all Sudbury success stories that happened because Sudburians don’t take no for an answer. We are a community that cares.
3. What makes Sudbury “home” for you?
Bell Park. I spent my summers swimming at Bell Park, and I go back every year to swim, attend festivals and to walk the boardwalk. Even in the winter, there is the skating path that runs from Science North to the 1st Beach. The fact that we have a gem like Ramsey Lake in the centre of our city is fantastic. We are incredibly lucky!
4. What’s your favourite building or structure in the city? Why?
I’m torn between the triangle-shaped “ironside building” at the intersection of Elgin and Durham, and the new Place des Arts building. As a child, I loved the triangular shape of the older building; it just fascinated me. More recently, I’ve fallen in love with Place des Arts; it just has this very unique design that catches the eye. As well, the interior of Place des Arts has these small touches which incorporates Sudburian Francophone history into the walls and ceilings – you can just feel the love that comes through that sort of attention to detail.
5. What is Sudbury’s best kept secret?
I would have to say the Rainbow Routes trail system (although more and more people are learning about them). Rainbow Routes has done an excellent job of building and maintaining a series of nature trails that criss-cross the city. As someone who grew up in Sudbury when it looked like a moonscape, I love these trails. If you’re ever having a stressful day, I encourage you to follow one of the Rainbow Routes trails. The stresses of life seem to get lost in those trails and then forget to follow you home.